I’m going head to head with time today. After my morning routine, I play catch-up all day until evening when I collapse in front of the TV. Then I shuffle off to bed to read myself to sleep. My days are busy, full of people and “to-dos.” I tell myself I’m being a faithful servant with the hours the Lord has given me.
I may think I’m faithful, but I’m not that effective, and often feel I’ve left things half-done. For example, I search the internet for a good resource on, say, marketing. But then I bookmark it because I don’t have time to read the darn article… and have yet to get back to it.
Dividing Time
God wants me to use the talents he’s given me, steward my blessings, and love others. For me that means writing/marketing, taking care of home and finances, and interacting with people. The problem is, I fly from one to the other, doing a half-baked job in each, always feeling there’s more I should or want to do.
What are the primary focuses of your time? All our life situations are different, and we bring unique problem solving skills to the table.
Choosing My Formula
Here’s my new formula (“new” as of today). After my morning routine, I’ll write and work on marketing for two hours. If I have an early appointment that would interfere with that, I’ll just get up earlier. Today is Monday–blog day. I’m drafting this now and in my afternoon/evening two hour writing session, will edit and post it. Hopefully, I’ll devote about four hours a day Monday through Friday to writing/marketing.
My friends mean more to me than a spotless home, so if I have a meeting, coffee/lunch date, errand for another, phone calls, that’s a priority. Some days, I enjoy a blank slate, but some situations take precedence over everything else.
Finally, home and hearth. Boy, I could spend all my days at this task! After completing my designated chores, I just may have time for some fun. Maybe I’ll drag out my guitar and torture it for a while, take a walk (nah), read a novel, or work on a quilt.
Why Would God Care?
Somewhere in the Bible it says we should “number our days aright.” We talk about “serving God,” but how do we live that out? Most of us are not missionaries whose job description carves out hours for “God “work. But isn’t everything we do, worshiping, loving the people that God put in our lives, and tending those talents (material and spiritual alike) helped by prioritizing?
I think God cares because this is how we “work out our salvation,” and it’s different for everyone. Our priorities and God -given skills are unique. But sometimes events shred the best laid schedule. Life feels out of control then, but our Father is always in control and will get us through. We may return to our routine or discover we need a new one.
Life isn’t dull when we serve the Lord.
I’ll let you know how my new effort to take control of my time (I hear God laughing right now) works.
How do you structure your days? Any helpful hints? Warnings? Stories?
This comment is from one very grateful soul saved from the fear of despairing loneliness in the aftermath of surgery. A friend ignored her own priorities and busy schedule, or should I say put them on the back burner, while she orchestrated a well organized personal plan of “gentle” attack to get me back on my feet in under two weeks! I will always be grateful.
I find I am very task-oriented and feel a sense of accomplishment when I complete something. I, like you, envision the week ahead on my calendar and anticipate where I can fit jobs in.
It can be as mundane as cleaning out a drawer or closet, which to me are huge tasks; believe me, these duties will loom in my frontal cortex till they are done! Small jobs like balancing my bank accounts or cleaning my counters suffice for a few days.
I do try to prioritize jobs that will help others first. My Thursday food pantry time is sacrosanct, except for when I have to work at my per-diem hospital job. Even then Father Time appears to lurk in the background, tapping his watch!